When I began my career at the St. John Sheriff’s Office 30 years ago, being Sheriff was not a thought in my mind!

As the story goes, in 1986, I was commuting from Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office to St. John Parish. I applied at St. John Sheriff’s Office, and honestly, through a relationship that my dad had with then Sheriff Lloyd B. Johnson, I started working for SJSO on Feb. 1, 1988.

At 21 years old, I started as a correctional officer, at the Percy Hebert Building. The jail capacity at that time was 45 inmates.

When an arrest was made, we determined if the crime was serious enough for the person to be incarcerated and, if so, who was to be released. But in those days, I could play basketball or a game of cards with the inmates. And some days the inmates would cook food that we would bring into the jail.

All of these things kept a peaceful environment between guards and inmates. The majority were not bad people, but people who made poor decisions.

Some of them I had grown up with.

Even without that, most were going to be released back into our community so I treated all of them with respect despite their current situation.

In 1990, I was transferred to the Patrol Division. Of course, I was full of energy when I started my shift on the road. I wore Khaki colored uniform and rode around with veteran officers.

I considered this ride along training like a crash course in learning the ropes of what a classroom or book could never teach you. The main skill I was taught was the art of de-escalation.

We had to master that skill, because I remembered the jail was still at full capacity and talking someone out of an arrest was easier than taking them to a full jail house.

After a couple of years on patrol, I was promoted to the detective bureau due to a my job performance.

Other officers on patrol had turned down the offer to move up to detective because it’s hard work. I nervously accepted the opportunity.

I must admit, working as a detective, was the most rewarding work I had done in my career. Taking control of a situation and providing justice to a victim was like winning the lottery or the Super bowl.

In 1996, I was promoted to Lieutenant and named the head of Internal Affairs and soon thereafter, the Public Information officer of SJSO.

Both of these jobs had good or bad days that need no further elaboration.

Soon after, I became a Captain in 1999 and then a Major in 2004 at SJSO.

In 2011, I began a process that would lead to my election as Sheriff and the leader of this great department. I continue to work to earn that trust handed to me in October of 2011.

In the mean time, I want to wish all of the citizens a Happy Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day.

And, please be aware that we hate responding to disturbances on Valentine’s Day because SOMEONE forgot the flowers!

Mike Tregre is sheriff of St. John the Baptist Parish. Reach him at sheriff@stjohnsheriff.org.